# Holy Mondegreen, Batman or I've been stupid wrong for most of my life. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 2, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662 "2011-11-02T18:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/81 "2011-11-10T19:26:11Z")
> [@bleach](#): > > Steve Miller has a song called _Jet Airliner_. Not knowing the title, the first time I heard it, I thought he was singing > … > > That doesn’t make any sense! Silly me, thinking that the song was about chairs and lights, hearing it for the first time. > > ..and the next 400 times too. That’s funny… I used to think he was singing about a Big Ol’ Shinin’ Lighthouse! ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/82 "2011-11-10T19:30:59Z")
I always heard ‘big ole jet airliner’ but had many a fun times inserting made up stuff. A couple of favorites “Being that you’re a minor” “Bet there ain’t none finer” “Big old Meg’s vagina”. . … ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/83 "2011-11-10T21:43:51Z")
> [@markm](#): > > When I was younger, I had the same thing with hearing this awesome singer “Shawday”, but only ever reading about the one named “Sayd” I’d never heard. That’s [Sade](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sade_Adu). [Sayd](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayd)is from _Green Lantern_. As for me, it was probably about 20 years before I realized the line wasn’t: [_Life would be ecstasy, You and me and Leslie, Groovin’ on a Sunday afternoon._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groovin%27) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/84 "2011-11-10T21:46:16Z")
> [@Cartoonacy](#): > > As for me, it was probably about 20 years before I realized the line wasn’t: > > [_Life would be ecstasy, > You and me and Leslie, > Groovin’ on a Sunday afternoon._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groovin%27) Me too. I figured leslie was code for LSD. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/85 "2011-11-10T22:04:43Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > That’s funny… I used to think he was singing about a Big Ol’ Shinin’ Lighthouse! Bigot Jed had a Lighter. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/86 "2011-11-10T22:05:13Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Not a song, but for over a year I thought there was a singer named “Fiancee” that I kept hearing about and one named “BEE-younce” that I kept reading about. One day I noticed that accent over the final E in the latter and realized 1 + 1 = 1 in this case. I went through that in high school, with “In Excess” and “INXS.” Finally connecting the dots = :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/87 "2011-11-10T23:23:00Z")
I’ve been hearing it that same way. I intend to continue to hear it that way. Can we just say that Dylan got it slightly wrong? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/88 "2011-11-11T00:30:59Z")
> [@Cartoonacy](#): > > As for me, it was probably about 20 years before I realized the line wasn’t: > > [_Life would be ecstasy, > You and me and Leslie, > Groovin’ on a Sunday afternoon._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groovin%27) > [@Sir\_Prize](#): > > Me too. I figured leslie was code for LSD. :smack: I thought it was about a threesome. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/89 "2011-11-11T01:22:16Z")
From my 5-year old daughter today: _Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah, Someone’s in the kitchen, I know Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah, Strummin’ on the old man Joe._ ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/90 "2011-11-11T13:36:04Z")
From Heart of Glass, “Mutual Mistrust” is a lot better phrase than “Mucho mistrust”. The latter seems like a forced attempt at a throwaway “hip” phrase, whereas the former makes a lot of sense. I only knew it was “mucho” when I saw the lyrics in karaoke, and at first I thought it was a transcription error. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/91 "2011-11-11T14:16:45Z")
> [@markm](#): > > When I was younger, I had the same thing with hearing this awesome singer “Shawday”, but only ever reading about the one named “Sayd” I’d never heard. > [@Misnomer](#): > > I went through that in high school, with “In Excess” and “INXS.” Finally connecting the dots = :smack: My sister Sue wondered why she kept hearing about the “Sue” Indians, but never about the “SEE-ox” ones. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/92 "2011-11-12T00:54:41Z")
> [@Timchik](#): > > …whoa indeed. that makes four of us. …Five… ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/93 "2011-11-12T02:32:01Z")
I’ve got the Monkee’s Greatest Hits on vinyl, and first heard “I’m a Believer” when I was about 6 years old. From that time until I saw Shrek (the first Shrek movie had the remake version, I believe), I thought the line was: Disappointment hot air on my dreams Then I learned it’s actually Disappointment haunted all my dreams Which makes a lot more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/94 "2011-11-12T06:04:41Z")
I thought it was _I’m not talking ‘bout committin’, and I don’t want to change your life_ ---
**Author:** ![TurningJapanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@TurningJapanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TurningJapanese)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/95 "2011-11-12T06:46:08Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > From Heart of Glass, “Mutual Mistrust” is a lot better phrase than “Mucho mistrust”. The latter seems like a forced attempt at a throwaway “hip” phrase, whereas the former makes a lot of sense. I only knew it was “mucho” when I saw the lyrics in karaoke, and at first I thought it was a transcription error. I always hear “Once you mistrust” I kinda like mine better. Ditto for me on the grave and every highway. I still get laughed at mercilessly for making the mistake of singing along to Billy Squires “The Stroke” in front of a friend. I thought the “Strummin’ Stuntman” was the winner turned sinner. It makes absolutely no sense, but that’s what I thought. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/96 "2011-11-12T17:32:49Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > From my 5-year old daughter today: > > _Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah, > Someone’s in the kitchen, I know > Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah, > Strummin’ on the old man Joe._ My 3-year-old does a version of Ba Ba Black Sheep that goes something like: Blah blah black sheep, have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full. One for the mayor, one for the lame, one for the little boy who lives down the shame ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/97 "2011-11-13T03:07:38Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I thought it was > > _I’m not talking ‘bout committin’, > and I don’t want to change your life_ On [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxdsk-cFX-k), the “movin’ in” is clearly enunciated. However, I hear “blowin’ the stars around” the first, third, and fifth times the lyric comes up; “the stars are out”, the second and fourth. Kind of like one of those “bang-bang” plays in baseball – you can watch the replay twenty times, and the runner appears safe on half those occasions, out the other half. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/98 "2011-11-13T10:26:42Z")
> [@Oy](#): > > I’ve listened to that song a hundred times, and I swear that he _does_ pluralize it in the last repetition. I assumed it was a wry commentary on the times. Nope. That occasional, in this case dramatically affected, elongation/palatalization of the “t” sound, is a New York City/Long Island accent thing. (In reference to Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”.) ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/99 "2012-11-21T18:39:20Z")
> [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](#): > > I’ve got the Monkee’s Greatest Hits on vinyl, and first heard “I’m a Believer” when I was about 6 years old. From that time until I saw Shrek (the first Shrek movie had the remake version, I believe), I thought the line was: > > Disappointment hot air on my dreams > > Then I learned it’s actually > > Disappointment haunted all my dreams > > Which makes a lot more sense. I always thought it was “Disappointment hollowed all my dreams”… ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662/100 "2012-11-21T19:25:49Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > I made it to about a year ago loving (and singing) “Just like a one-winged dove…” > > woo. > woo. > woo. I heard the same thing for 10 or 15 years until I learned the actual lyric. I still have to force myself to hear “white-winged dove”. > [@bleach](#): > > Steve Miller has a song called _Jet Airliner_. I think you mean “Big Hotel Atlanta”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-mondegreen-batman-or-ive-been-stupid-wrong-for-most-of-my-life/601662.md?page=6)